Sculling oar



Nav. 24, 1942.' y R. R. WILLEMS Erm. 2,303,100

' l scULLING AR ,Filed Feb. 1, 1940 l (gn/um Patented Nov. 24, 1942Raymond R. Willems and Emmm N. willems,

Monticello,

Application February 1, 1940,"Serial No. 316,830

`4 Claims.

This invention relates to a sculling oar adapted for use usually as thesole means of kpower for a fishing boat, and it is designed to enablethe operator or fisherman to impart maximum speed with minimum energywhile facing the prow of the boat, one hand being suilicient foroperation thereof while the other hand is free for fishing purposes.

It is further aimed to provide a novel structure in whichthe oar may beattached to the boat at the stern, will seek a central longitudinalposition, and is balancedY so as to normally remain in contact with thewater and be in a position accessible for grasping and operation.

The more specic objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the description following taken in connection withaccompanying drawing illustrating y an operative embodiment.

In said drawing:

Cil

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a por- Y oar, partly broken awayto disclose details, and

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on the plane of line 4 4 of Figure3.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like reference charactersdesignate like or similar parts, I0 designates a conventional row boator the like such as is used by shermen. In accordance with theinvention, a suitable clamp I I is rigidly but detachably connected tothe stern I2 of such boat, as by means of jaws I3 and screws I4.

Said clamp II mounts the sculling oar, generally designated I5. This oarhas a central metallic section I6 in the rear end of which a wooden orother handle portion II is secured as by a tenon I8 entering a splitsocket I9 of section I6 with a removable bolt 20 passing through thehandle and socket.

Said socket I9 is disposed at an angle to another socket 2| which islocated at the other end of section I6 and similarly split, and engagedwith the tenon of a sculling oar section 22 which may be of wood or anyother 4material and through which socket 2| and tenon a bolt 23removably passes. Sculling oar 22 may be of any desired shape andmaterial and it is disposed at an angle to the handle portion I1, andthe oar as a whole is balanced in the position shown in Figures l and sby using a weight at the maderas at ,24, whenA desired. I Y

The section I6 has practicallyuniversal joint connection to the lclampII in that suchsection has a dependent at 25 pivoted by a pin 26 to alink 2l, which in turn is pivoted by a pin28dis posedat a right angle tothe pin 26,l and mounted Y by ears 29 of bracket k34 on. the clamp* Il.Bracket 34 is swivellyconnected to the clamp II by a pin or bolt 35,which depends froml thel bracket and turnablyf'engages an opening 36 theintermediate," Ahorizontal position of `the clampll. ,1 I,

It will be realized that but one hand is necessary to operate thesculling oar disclosed, the same being moved in the water from side toside, as suggested in dotted lines in Figure 2. The extent of movementto either side may be limited by a flexible element 30 which is tetheredto the handle Il and has a clasp 3l, which may be engaged with a stapleor the equivalentl 32 fastened to a seat or other part 33 of the boat.

The movement of the oar blade in the water thwartwise while the blade isturned back and forth on its longitudinal axis, similar to the movementof a shs tail, is a conventional sculling stroke. However, in additionto the oar I5 being swingable in a horizontal plane, by the pin 35turning in the opening 36, and in a vertical planeyby the oar I5 rockingon its pivot 26, the oar I5 is also mounted to rock on the pivot 28 tocause the oar to be oscillated or turned back and forth substantially onits longitudinal axis to changeithe pitch of the blade, as is requiredduring the sculling stroke. This movement is accomplished by rocking thehandle section Il on pivot 28 downwardly and toward thefdirection thatthe handle section is swinging. This can obviously be accomplished withmuch less effort than is required to twist the ordinary oar to executethe sculling stroke, as the element 30 is normally taut so that it willpull the handle I1 downwardly as the handle is moved to either side ofits central position, and the pressure `exerted by the sculler willtherefore cause the oar I5 to be rocked, as previously explained, onpivot 28.

It will be noted that when reeling in after releasing the oar, thelatter remains in its center position due to the balancing thereof andits pivotal mounting, ready to resume operation. The structure willpermit silent operation, is simple to attach to a boat, and may bemanufactured in minimum lengths and weights.

Various changes may be resorted to provided end to provide means tolimit the movement of.

the oar in both directions and to constrain the swinging movement of theoar to an arcuately shaped path the radius of whiclriisequal` tothelength of the flexible element.

2. A sculling oar construction comprising a mounting means, a metallicoar-'sectionV having forward and rear portions, said sectionbeing`pivotally connected approximately at the junction ofsaid portionstofthe'mounting means for move ment from side to side of a boat attha-sternthereof, said-reaiv'portion`V inclining downwardly withJrespect to the forward portion; an oar mem-- berjfastened to said rea-r'portion, a handle fas tened'to said forward portion,- and-` a tetheredilexible' element connected to saidihandle at its-upper end tefuncti'ondually'as-a meansto limit themovement of the oarin--botli1 directionsandV as a means; for consi-,rainingA the'` swinging movement ofthe oar;between' thelflimits; of -it's movement,

to'an arc havinga 'radius equalto theL length ofthe flexible element.

3. A sculling oar construction comprising a mounting means, a metallicoar section having a forward and a rear socket, said section beingconnected approximately at the junction of said sockets to the mountingmeans, said mounting means including a universal joint and a swivelconnection to mount the oar section for movement from side to side of aboat at the stern thereof, for perpendicular rocking movement, and fora`rockingmovement substantially; on the axis of said oar section, saidrear socket nclining downwardly with respect to the forward socket, anoar member fastened to said rear socket and a hand-lcfastened to saidforward socket.

4.r 13k sculling-V oar construction comprising a mounting means, ametallic oar section having forward and rear portions, said sectionbeing pivotallyconnected? approximately at the junction `of--saidportions to said mounting means on a plurality of axes includingmovement from side to` side of i a the'fsternf thereof;- saidl. rearportion-inclihingt dwnwardlywith 'respect tolthe forward? portiomian:oarmember fstened-'to'said to said yhandle atl iis-upper end to'Afunction asi a means for constraining-I the swingingI movement of theoar to an arcuate path the radius of Wlii'clfiY is equal t'o the lengthiof ther fiexibleelement'.

RAYIVIOND R; WILLEMS# EMMI'ITN.- WILLEMS

